Someone once said that playing golf was the equivalent of a good walk spoiled, but millions of people around the world that play the sport can’t be wrong surely? The game itself was first known as simply stick and ball and is believed to have originated in Scotland in 1497 but as you can imagine the game we play today has changed quite a lot. In fact, the first golf ball was not even a ball but a small stone that ‘players’ would hit around the sand dunes of Fife. It was not until the 18th century that the game began to develop into something similar to what we see today when the first recognized Royal Club at Leith held its first real competition and a set of rules began to be laid down.

Of course, the game has changed dramatically these days and the top players can earn millions of dollars a year. Technology used on golf clubs and golf balls has made the sport a much more skilled game than hitting pebbles around sand dunes that’s for sure and the number of golf courses around the whole of England now stands at over 2500 and worldwide at well over half a million. So where are the best courses in the United Kingdom? Well the answer to that can be debated. Obviously you have the courses where all the major tournaments are played like the Royal courses like Troon, Birkdale and the North Devon, but an amateur getting the chance not only to join but play may cost you a small fortune.

Personally speaking, because I prefer to pay a more reasonable rate for a round and as I might leave too many divets, I generally like to take my golf holidays in Cornwall. The Southwest of England really is a beautiful area of the UK and there are plenty of courses, around twenty, to choose from. A few worthy of mention here are Perranporth which compared to some of the others is relatively inexpensive with weekend green fees at forty five pounds. Another is Mullion which gives you some great sea views and a great sunset. Finally I would probably recommend Polzeath that has recently been vastly improved recently and has green fees from just twenty five pounds. The best time to spoil a good walk here is in the summer!